John Sheetz

Increasingly dissatisfied with the cinematic fluff and drivel permeating the movie theaters, Sail Away Pictures, the brainchild of production couple John Sheetz and Kim Van Meter, set out to see if they could do better, if even on a smaller scale. Their belief, reinforced by what was being churned out by the studios, was big budgets did not necessarily guarantee a better film. After dabbling with small shorts produced by friends and fellow independent filmmakers I had decided to make the leap. In 1996, John, made his way into the independent film scene with his first short, Simulated Madness, with little more than gritty determination, life savings and a hope that their dreams could come true. "Simulated Madness", a 15-minute drama written and directed by Sheetz, throws the audience into the unsettling world of a man who cannot Reconcile the childhood abuse he suffered at the hands of his father. After a brief stint in Los Angeles, John relocated to the mountainous community of Mariposa County, where he embarked on his second largest filmmaking endeavor, "Seeing The Elephant", a 40-minute documentary. Delving into the realm of documentary filmmaking was a new and exciting chapter in Sail Away Pictures history that proved to be educational and fun. Following the NCWA (National Civil War Association) around for an entire year provided the stunning imagery and historical authenticity for the documentary.

Seeing The Elephant went on to win the 1998 WAVE (Western Alliance for Video Excellence) award in Palo Alto, beating out hundreds of other projects.